The Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) at Forschungszentrum Jülich received a 100-qubit quantum computer from Pasqal, a world leader in neutral atoms quantum computing technology, in mid-November. The new quantum computer is part of the EuroHPC JU project HPCQS and will be coupled with the JURECA DC supercomputer at JSC. This will enable European researchers to use hybrid classical-quantum resources to solve complex challenges.
The delivery of this quantum computer is a key milestone in the EuroHPC JU project HPCQS. The “High Performance Computer and Quantum Simulator hybrid” initiative aims to advance the integration of quantum systems with the European supercomputing infrastructure, creating powerful new resources for solving complex optimisation problems. These resources will support applications across a range of fields, including drug design, supply chain management, wireless network design, intelligent charging of autonomous cars, financial, trading and cybersecurity. In addition, the computing power of Pasqal’s Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) will be used for simulations in physics and chemistry as well as for quantum machine learning.
The device will also expand the resources at the Jülich UNified Infrastructure for Quantum computing (JUNIQ), a public quantum computing user facility deployed by JSC. JUNIQ provides science and industry with access to state-of-the-art quantum computers, supporting early exploration and adoption of quantum computing technologies.
The HPCQS project is supported by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) and six European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain). HPCQS is coordinated by the JSC and aims to integrate two quantum computers from Pasqal, each controlling about 100+ quantum bits (qubits) in two already existing supercomputers. The first quantum computer was delivered to the French supercomputing center GENCI/CEA four months ago and will be integrated with the supercomputer Joliot Curie, while the second, financed in equal parts by EuroHPC JU and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), was delivered to JSC now.
“This quantum computer is another important component of the quantum computing infrastructure at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The coupling of quantum systems and supercomputers makes it possible to combine the advantages of both systems and to use the potential of quantum computers already today for the first practical applications”, explains Prof. Dr. Astrid Lambrecht, Chair of the Board of Directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich.
“The quantum processor at JSC is an important milestone,” Prof. Kristel Michielsen, head of JUNIQ & Quantum Computing at JSC, emphasises. “We are now on track to implement two hybrid HPC-QS systems in France and Germany that will provide European end users with access to exceptional computing power–and will help solve societal problems in the future.”
“Our partnership with Forschungszentrum Jülich and the resulting coupling of our QPU with the JURECA DC supercomputer is a unique opportunity to drive innovation in fields such as materials science, drug discovery and artificial intelligence through the work of European researchers. It is also creating the framework for the private sector to explore and perfect industrial use cases while having access to the latest quantum and high-performance computing technology,” says Dr. Georges-Olivier Reymond, CEO and Co-Founder of Pasqal.
“I am thrilled to welcome the second HPCQS quantum computer—a major step forward in empowering European users to develop groundbreaking algorithms and applications by combining quantum and classical HPC resources. I eagerly anticipate seeing the first projects harness the potential of this cutting-edge technology in the months ahead,” stated Anders Jensen, EuroHPC JU Executive Director.
Quantum computer with neutral atoms
Pasqal’s quantum computer works on the principle of analog computing. These quantum systems have the potential to perform complex calculations and analyses that are difficult or impossible for conventional computers. These include, for example, the solution of quantum mechanical multi-particle systems, which describe the properties of many interacting particles. The idea is to create an artificial quantum system whose properties are transferred to aspects of the system examined. This allows scientists to study the complex properties and dynamics of the system in a controlled environment.
The Pasqal technology is based on neutral atoms to generate qubits. These atoms have no electrical charge and therefore only interact weakly with electromagnetic fields in the environment – an ideal prerequisite for stable quantum calculations. The atoms are trapped and manipulated using laser light to enable highly precise quantum operations. Furthermore, neutral atoms can be arranged relatively easily in large arrays, making it easier to expand the quantum system.
About HPCQS
The High Performance Computer and Quantum Simulator hybrid (HPCQS) project is a Europe-wide initiative with the aim of advancing the European hybrid quantum-HPC infrastructure. Researchers should be able to use both classical and quantum computing power to solve complex scientific challenges.
HPCQS creates an open and evolutionary infrastructure that aims at expanding in the future by including a diversity of quantum computing platforms at different technology readiness levels and by allowing the integration of other European quantum nodes. The HPCQS infrastructure realises, after JUNIQ, a second step towards a European Quantum Computing and Simulation Infrastructure (EuroHPC-QCS), as advocated for in the Strategic Research and Industry Agenda 2030 of the European Quantum Flagship. As such, HPCQS will not only strengthen Europe’s position in the global quantum landscape but also set the stage for transformative advancements in diverse fields.
The quantum computer in France will be ready for use at the beginning of 2025, enabling the calculation of the first use cases. The quantum computer in Jülich is expected to be available by June 2025.
About Jülich Supercomputing Centre / Forschungszentrum Jülich
The Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) at Forschungszentrum Jülich provides researchers in Germany and Europe with computing time on supercomputers of the highest performance class and operates JUNIQ, a European quantum computing infrastructure for science and industry. JSC scientists combine outstanding expertise in the fields of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence, develop reliable, transparent AI tools and basic models, and are highly sought-after experts in science and industry.
JSC is embedded in Forschungszentrum Jülich, a member of the Helmholtz Association, which employs 7,400 people and conducts interdisciplinary research for a digitised society, a climate-friendly energy system, and sustainable economic activity. Research in the natural, life, and technical sciences focuses on the areas of information, energy, and bioeconomics.
